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Local, state jobless rates fell in February (DOCUMENT)

Published: Friday, March 29, 2013 at 04:24 PM.

February was a strong month for job growth in Florida, as 66 of the state’s 67 counties saw their unemployment rates drop.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity released its February employment report Friday. Florida’s jobless rate of 7.7 percent was the lowest since October 2008.

“The state of Florida’s economy is coming back. It’s doing well,” said David Goetsch, a local economist. “It’s gotten through the recession, building has started again, tourists are back, and they’re not just back but they’re spending money.”

January was touted as the first month in five years that the state’s unemployment rate dropped below the national average. However, the numbers were adjusted in the final report to show the state and national unemployment rates were both 7.9 percent.

They remained equal last month at 7.7 percent.

“With an unemployment rate of 7.7 percent, the lowest in more than four years, and nearly 300,000 private sector jobs created over the last two years, we have proof that it’s working,” Gov. Rick Scott said in a news release.

“Our efforts to reduce taxes, pay down state debt and grow the economy demonstrates our success in growing jobs for Florida families. While today’s announcement is great news, we know we have more work to do to ensure that every Florida family that wants a job can get one.”

Walton County had the second lowest unemployment rate in the state, dropping from 5.7 percent in January to 5.1 percent in February. Monroe County’s unemployment rate was 4.2 percent.

Okaloosa County’s jobless rate was 5.5 percent, the third lowest in Florida. That was an improvement of 0.5 percent from January.

Santa Rosa County tied with Lafayette County at 6.7 percent for the 21st lowest unemployment rate. Santa Rosa’s January figure was 7.3 percent.

Baker County in northeast Florida was the only county in the state to see its jobless rate rise in February, going from 7.1 percent in January to 7.4 percent.

Goetsch said the Department of Defense’s decision this week to reduce the number of unpaid leave days civilian workers must take as part of sequestration from 22 to 14 will be good news for the state and national unemployment rates.

“If the sequestration furlough days had stayed at 22, you would have seen members of the public employees union taking all 22 days at one time, which is enough for you to collect unemployment,” Goetsch said. “The unemployment numbers would have gone way up.

“The furlough is now not going to affect the unemployment numbers directly,” he added. “It will still affect them indirectly in that the people who get furloughed will begin to spend less money.”

Contact Daily News Business Editor Dusty Ricketts at 850-315-4448 or dricketts@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustyRnwfdn.

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February was a strong month for job growth in Florida, as 66 of the state’s 67 counties saw their unemployment rates drop.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity released its February employment report Friday. Florida’s jobless rate of 7.7 percent was the lowest since October 2008.

“The state of Florida’s economy is coming back. It’s doing well,” said David Goetsch, a local economist. “It’s gotten through the recession, building has started again, tourists are back, and they’re not just back but they’re spending money.”

January was touted as the first month in five years that the state’s unemployment rate dropped below the national average. However, the numbers were adjusted in the final report to show the state and national unemployment rates were both 7.9 percent.

They remained equal last month at 7.7 percent.

“With an unemployment rate of 7.7 percent, the lowest in more than four years, and nearly 300,000 private sector jobs created over the last two years, we have proof that it’s working,” Gov. Rick Scott said in a news release.

“Our efforts to reduce taxes, pay down state debt and grow the economy demonstrates our success in growing jobs for Florida families. While today’s announcement is great news, we know we have more work to do to ensure that every Florida family that wants a job can get one.”

Walton County had the second lowest unemployment rate in the state, dropping from 5.7 percent in January to 5.1 percent in February. Monroe County’s unemployment rate was 4.2 percent.

Okaloosa County’s jobless rate was 5.5 percent, the third lowest in Florida. That was an improvement of 0.5 percent from January.

Santa Rosa County tied with Lafayette County at 6.7 percent for the 21st lowest unemployment rate. Santa Rosa’s January figure was 7.3 percent.

Baker County in northeast Florida was the only county in the state to see its jobless rate rise in February, going from 7.1 percent in January to 7.4 percent.

Goetsch said the Department of Defense’s decision this week to reduce the number of unpaid leave days civilian workers must take as part of sequestration from 22 to 14 will be good news for the state and national unemployment rates.

“If the sequestration furlough days had stayed at 22, you would have seen members of the public employees union taking all 22 days at one time, which is enough for you to collect unemployment,” Goetsch said. “The unemployment numbers would have gone way up.

“The furlough is now not going to affect the unemployment numbers directly,” he added. “It will still affect them indirectly in that the people who get furloughed will begin to spend less money.”

Contact Daily News Business Editor Dusty Ricketts at 850-315-4448 or dricketts@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustyRnwfdn.